News for gardeners in deer country: one solution to deer problems may simply be smaller gardens

Wherever whitetail deer occur they present a challenge for gardeners. The internet offers abundant advice on this, but too often it is simplistic gardening myth such as scattering human hair or planting garlic.

Distance shot of micro-exclosure with the protective ability clearly evident

Historically in deer control literature there have been occasional observations that deer hesitate to enter an area which looks too small or constrained for rapid escape. Finally, it came time to acknowledge and test this theory.… Continue reading this article “News for gardeners in deer country: one solution to deer problems may simply be smaller gardens”

Trials and Triumphs: All-America Selections Judging and 2024 Winners

I’ve written before about my time as a trial judge for the All-America Selections program, which I did during my seven years with Nebraska Extension. I happened upon the opportunity to be a judge by accident, but really came to relish my time and the work that the organization does.

You see, All-America Selections started in 1932 as a way to actually certify the claims that newly-introduced plants were actually better than ones already available. Previously it was sort of the wild-west of claims made by everyone who had a garden catalog or wrote a garden publication.… Continue reading this article “Trials and Triumphs: All-America Selections Judging and 2024 Winners”

Underrated Beneficial Arthropods Part 2: Natural Enemies

Continuing with the theme of Underrated Beneficial Arthropods that I brought up in my December post about Underrated Pollinators– I will be focusing on the next category of what I consider the trio of beneficial arthropods (which includes pollinators, natural enemies, and nutrient cyclers).

Natural Enemies

Natural enemies are comprised of predatory and parasitic arthropods, in which one or more life stages of the arthropod feed on other organisms, such as garden pests, thereby killing them.… Continue reading this article “Underrated Beneficial Arthropods Part 2: Natural Enemies”

Cardboard does not belong on your soil. Period.

  • Cardboard used in landscape restoration
  • Cardboard used in lasagna gardening
  • Cardboard used for weed control
The many faces of carboard found in home gardens and public greenspaces

In the quarter century that I’ve been researching, publishing, and educating on the topic of landscape mulches, one thing has become clear: cardboard should never be used as a mulch. This viewpoint has been of great interest to gardeners; in fact, my earlier post has been the most frequently viewed post since it was published in 2015.… Continue reading this article “Cardboard does not belong on your soil. Period.”

The Times They Are A-Changin’—What the new La Niña Watch means for the NH growing season

In this blog I’ve talked several times about El Niño and La Niña and how they affect climate across the Northern Hemisphere as well as their impacts on the rest of the world. We are currently in a strong El Niño with sea surface temperatures in the Eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO) that are much warmer than the long-term average. But underneath the surface the ocean currents are starting to change and the El Niño is expected to swing quickly into the opposite phase, La Niña.… Continue reading this article “The Times They Are A-Changin’—What the new La Niña Watch means for the NH growing season”

Unpacking a Peck of Purple Genetically Engineered Tomatoes

Excitement spread across social media recently with the announcement that a genetically engineered tomato, creatively named “The Purple Tomato” is now available for home gardeners. Gardeners, plant scientists, and others rejoiced at the news that a purple tomato engineered with genes from a snapdragon to boost the plant pigment anthocyanin is now available for home gardeners to purchase. But why were people so excited? And what does this mean?

The Purple Tomato: What is it and why is it exciting and important?… Continue reading this article “Unpacking a Peck of Purple Genetically Engineered Tomatoes”

Does Wind Chill Affect Plants?

Over the course of this winter there have been several days when the temperature plummeted after the passage of an Arctic front as strong winds blew frigid air into parts of the United States. It can happen in other parts of the world, too. When this happens, the National Weather Service (NWS) often issues Wind Chill Warnings urging people to bundle up before they head outside into the dangerously cold weather. From time to time I am asked if plants also experience wind chill.… Continue reading this article “Does Wind Chill Affect Plants?”

Putting down a danger tree

  • Part of this “candelabra” tree crown failed in a windstorm
  • The proximity of this tree to a school makes it a high risk
Sometimes trees need to be drastically pruned or removed to prevent damage to property and injury to people.

I’ve been a gardening mythbuster for almost a quarter century. You’d think the quality of information would slowly be improving, given the increased sophistication of many gardeners regarding their information source. But every day my news feed connects me with articles that I’m sure some AI entity thinks will be enlightening.… Continue reading this article “Putting down a danger tree”

Shoveling the Artificial CRAP: Navigating Gardening Un-Intelligence in the age of AI

Like it or not, the use of AI (Artificial Intelligence) has become a part of our daily lives. While you might not use AI directly (or you don’t know that you do) it is now a common part of society, especially in the online world. Many people, sites, can companies use it to create content. It is part of the “smart” gadgets that we use at home. Map software (like Google Maps), search engines, ride share apps, and even the spam filter on your email all use AI.… Continue reading this article “Shoveling the Artificial CRAP: Navigating Gardening Un-Intelligence in the age of AI”

Winter Thoughts in Support for Fallen Leaves

January is here with its resolutions, cold long nights and not that warm days. Winter is a season of rest and survival. The cats and horses have long furry coats, the resident song birds eagerly clean out the feeder every day and the garden beckons. For me Winter is a special season when I can do a lot of fruit tree pruning, especially enjoyed with my daughter. Father-daughter pruning bonding is not to be missed if it’s an option for you.… Continue reading this article “Winter Thoughts in Support for Fallen Leaves”